If you love Italian food, then chances are you’ve heard of Eataly, the three-story culinary destination located in the Westfield Valley Fair shopping mall in Silicon Valley. This Italian food mecca is celebrating its one year anniversary this summer.

Spanning 45,000 square feet, it’s home to two restaurants which include the signature La Pizza & La Pasta, as well as Terra, one of the area’s only rooftop restaurant and bars, and an upscale market with over 10,000 products, many of which are sourced straight from Italy.

Currently, La Pizza & La Pasta is celebrating Eataly’s national program called Icons of Eataly, in which they highlight a limited-time pasta dish that tells a story about Italy’s history and distinctive regional traditions.

August is Linguine allo Scoglio, September is Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, October is Lasagna Emiliana, and the program will close out with Rigatoni alla Carbonara in November.

“La Pizza & La Pasta features two of the best-loved Italian dishes: Napoli-style pizza and authentic regional pasta dishes,” explains Stefano Murialdo, Managing Director, Eataly West Coast. “When it comes to pizza, Eataly has always adhered to the centuries-old Neapolitan technique: the crust must be tall and tender, the dough should be left to rise for at least 24 hours, and the ingredients should display the bounty of the Mediterranean.”

“Meanwhile, Terra is the dining destination inspired by earth and fire, centered around an Italian wood-burning grill, where seasonal ingredients are cooked over burning flames.” he continues. “The 180-seat restaurant features seasonal grilled dishes, a vast Italian wine list, and a selection of craft botanical and smoked cocktails to perfectly pair with earthy, flame-kissed dishes.”

Eataly Silicon Valley also is home to Counters and Cafes dedicated to providing quality Italian specialities that include La Pasticceria for incredible bite sized pasticcini, cakes, pastries, and more; Pizza Alla Pala for Roman-style pizza by the slice; Il Gelato for house-made gelato by Patrizia Pasqualetti; Caffe Lavazza for traditional Italian espresso and coffee drinks; and La Gastronomia for regional Italian food to take home, such as freshly baked lasagna and house-made polpette and more.

Eataly offers just about anything you could be looking for when it comes to Italian imports, with over 500 types of cured meats and cheeses alone. From over 100 varieties of olive oil, an entire Italian wine section and countless types of dried and fresh pasta to assortments of sauces and local produce, seafood and meats, it’s a place that you could easily do all of your grocery shopping at.

Eataly also bakes a variety of fresh breads in house, as well as burrata and mozzarella cheese that you can watch being made. For those with a sweet tooth, it also offers a selection of fine Italian chocolates from brands that include Venchi and Bacci.

“Eataly has a large global team that is behind the curation of our offerings,” says Murialdo. “Different departments are behind each of our product categories from regional Italian wines, dry artisanal pasta, Italian salumi and formaggi (cured meat and cheeses), extra virgin olive oils, plus all the products we make in-house daily, like fresh pasta, mozzarella, and pizza alla pala.”

In addition to shopping, Eataly is keen on educating consumers on what Italian culture is and how to make Italian cuisine through a number of cooking classes and experiences each month ranging from fresh pasta making classes to building your own salumi and cheese boards to wine tastings. Eataly also hosts a variety of events every month, which is a unique and interactive way to learn about Italian culture.

“Eataly has an innovative ‘eat, shop, learn’ approach in which education is highly prioritized for our guests,” he continues. “At each Eataly store, you get a piece of education anywhere you go, from the signage that explains everything from sourcing to Italian food history (i.e.where the grapes to make specific wines are from, or where each type of pasta is from) to the experts at our counters that can share how to cook our products and the best way to pair them.”

We chatted with Stefano Murialdo, Managing Director, Eataly West Coast; Eataly USA Head Pastry Chef, Katia Delogu; and Gelato Chef at Gelato by Patrizia, Patrizia Pasqualetti on all things Eataly Silicon Valley. Here’s what they had to say.

Congrats on a full year of Eataly Silicon Valley! Talk about the ups and downs, if any, that you experienced during your first year. Moving forward, what are some of the goals with Eataly?

Stefano Murialdo: Thank you! We have felt so incredibly welcomed by the Bay Area since we opened and are excited to continue building a west coast home at Westfield Valley Fair. Our goal with Eataly is to be the go-to spot for the authentic Italian experience – from retail to restaurants to classes and events.

Of course, with any new store, there are always challenges in adjusting to the unique market, but we are determined to offer the best products and create a world dedicated to quality: quality food, quality drink, and ultimately quality time. We believe in an integrated experience where you can dine in our restaurants, shop in our marketplace, and take classes at the on-site culinary school.

Eataly is a culinary destination for lovers of all things Italian food — talk about what goes into the curation of the wines, pastas, cheeses, imports… etc. How important is it to ensure that what’s stocking the shelves and fridges is authentic and high quality?

Stefano Murialdo: In our grocery department, we carry around 10,000 different products imported from Italy like extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, pasta di Gragnano IGP, authentic sauces, cookies, and coffee. With our fresh departments like seafood, meat, and produce, we focus on keeping it as local as possible by using regional farmers and sustainable producers.

When it comes to Italian products, we specifically look to highlight all 20 regions of Italy. That means sourcing wine from small-scale vineyards to iconic terroirs, bringing in a selection of extra virgin olive oils from North to South, and inviting our shoppers to try out and discover something new as well as finding their favorites. For our local producers, we follow the same philosophy.

In each Eataly location, you’ll find distinct products related to that city, state, or region. You might find a specific cut of meat in our Dallas store, unique produce options in LA, craft beers in New York, fresh caught seafood in Boston – our connection to the local communities.

Eataly has two restaurants (one with a rooftop!). Talk about how each differs — the vibes, menu, inspiration… etc.

Stefano Murialdo: At La Pizza & La Pasta, guests can watch trained Rossopomodoro pizzaioli (pizza makers) prepare traditional Neapolitan pizzas using wood-burning ovens that cook each pizza to perfection in 90 seconds. The restaurant’s bountiful selection of signature pasta includes dishes made with housemade fresh pasta, as well as specialty dry pasta imported from Gragnano – the birthplace of dry pasta.

Each shape is made with the highest quality dough that is bronze-extruded and dried at low temperatures for up to 48 hours for a textured, perfectly al dente pasta — ideal for collecting sauce.

At Terra, chefs cook seasonal raw ingredients over the flames of the wood-burning grill, allowing the simple flavors of Northern California’s abundant local produce to shine. Menu highlights include Fornello Pugliese, a selection of grilled Pugliese-style skewers inspired by the southern Italian region, where meats are traditionally selected directly from butcher counters, and cooked over open flame before being served tableside, and Grigliata di Pesce, grilled seafood to share (in the style of coastal Sicily) served with crispy fried Panelle (chickpea fritters), snap peas, spigarello and eggplant caponata.

A signature dish to order is Arrosticini d’Agnello, grilled Abruzzo-style lamb skewers, served on toasted housemade sourdough bread. Terra at the Eataly Silicon Valley store offers a lounge area where guests can enjoy smaller bites from a menu of shareble items while sipping iconic Terra cocktails Our weekend brunch is a new addition to the restaurant, with dishes like our frittata with farm-fresh eggs, mushrooms and zucchini, or our spaghetti alla carbonara.

Terra rooftop is one of the very few rooftops in the area. Talk about the beverage program and any programming they have to offer.

Stefano Murialdo: We’re proud to be one of the few rooftops in Silicon Valley. As a destination for both dining and imbibing, Terra has a large beverage menu with choices for any taste – from cocktails and mocktails to wine and beer. For the gin & tonic lover, we have a “build your own” menu with six gin options, a variety of flavored tonics, and herbs and fruit to garnish. Or if mezcal or whisky is more your thing, we have 30 oz. flights that include 4 different varieties to try out.

We also have a vast Italian wine selection with over 30 wines by the glass cover all the classic regions and grapes, as well as a thorough offering of the more eclectic and obscure varieties. Terra perfectly pairs seasonality with Italian tradition to create an authentic, exciting experience every time you dine.

For this summer, Terra has a unique beverage program called “Summer with a Twist.” Our team developed a menu that embraces the flavors of the season and infuses them with classic cocktails from around the world — all with an Italian twist. For example, we have a classic Aperol Spritz, and the twist on it is a Marigold Spritz, made with elderflower and apricot liqueurs and mango puree. Or take the classic Negroni – our twist is a Balsamic Negroni, made with the Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin, but also adding barrel-aged balsamic vinegar.

What is the inspiration behind the inspired collection of pastries and cakes at Eataly?

Katia Delogu: Our inspiration for the pastry program comes from traditional recipes that you would find in Italy – from a wide array of cakes to pasticcini, or bite-sized pastries. Favorites from the pasticcini selection include quadratino al cioccolato or miniature chocolate cakes, bignè or cream puffs stuffed with different types of creams, fruttino al lampone or fruit tarts topped with raspberry, and babà al rum or rum-soaked sponge cakes. We also have a wide selection of cornetti, an Italian version of a croissant, including ones with pistacchio cream or apricot and fragipane. Our Tiramisù della Nonna is a bestseller, the perfect balance of coffee and sweetness.

Your gelato is so incredibly fresh and delicious! What sets your gelato apart from others? What are some stand out flavors?

Patrizia Pasqualetti: As a second-generation gelato chef, I learned from my father that the key is to choose the highest quality ingredients possible. We’re lucky in California to have access to amazing seasonal produce which makes a big difference in the taste of a gelato, especially as I try to avoid putting too much sugar or other ingredients in that mask the natural flavors.

We also make sure to use organic milk from a local producer, Straus Creamery. Some of my favorite varieties are California Blossom (vanilla with navel orange and almond slides), Milk and Figs (fior di latte with lemon and Napa caramelized figs), Tuscan Melon, Mango, and our famous Pistachio.